Manny Pacquiao taxes under investigation

Eight times world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has landed himself in a scrap with the Philippines' inland revenue authorities who say he has failed to co-operate with an investigation into his tax affairs.

Tax bureau officials filed criminal proceedings against the boxer for contempt after he failed to present records related to his fight contracts and earnings from his endorsements.

However, the tax authorities have not accused Pacquiao, 33, of tax evasion, even though they are probing his returns to see if he paid enough to the Philippines' exchequer.

If the authorities decide to press ahead with the criminal proceedings Pacquiao, who is also a member of the house of representatives, could face a two-year jail term and a fine of up £180.

The revenue authorities had wanted to investigate 33 tax records, including his 2010 annual tax return, his accounts books, his list of assets, as well as his earnings from fights against Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey.

Pacquiao snubbed the agency's request for documents when he failed to provide the records by February 7, forcing the tax authorities to issue contempt proceedings.

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Pacquiao, regarded as the best pound for pound fighter in the world, denied that he had refused to co-operate with the tax authorities' investigation of his affairs.

"If they are looking for something, they should also give us time to review the order," he told a Philippines television station. "I don't have any intention to evade [the investigation]." In May last year Pacquiao declared assets of £17.5 million and no liabilities, a financial position that made him the Philippines richest member of parliament and the world's 24th wealthiest athlete.

He is estimated of have made £23.3 million from fights against Clottey and Miguel Cotto, though he spent as much as £4.6 million on his election campaign.

Eric Diesto, a tax investigator for the Philippines revenue authorities, denied that Pacquiao had been singled out because of his high profile but said it was part of a wider investigation of tax payers in the south of the country.

"He is not being singled out," said Mr Diesto. "We have also filed complaints against 39 other people." Pacquiao is set to defend his World Boxing Organistion welterweight title against undefeated US fighter Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas on June 9.